Rat guard



Jan. 3, 1950 v E, BUSH 2,493,107

RAT GUARD Filed Aug. 29, 1947 INVENTOR. EAN LEE BUSH ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 3, u1950 UNITED STATES PAT ENT OF ICE 'RAT GUARD Ean Lee Busli, Sah Francisco, Calif.

Appiicatibnnugust 29, 1947', serial No. 771,201

l This invention relat'esto'rat-gfuards. 1 An object of this inventionlisv to provide a rat guard Which islight,- can; be easily handled and easily clamped upon afhawsen. whether it is `a single or double hawser, and which willeffectively prevent the passingof rats or` insects along the hawser.

I am aware that' some changes may be made inthe general arrangementsy of` theseveral devices and parts, as well. as ini the'detailsof the cone struction thereof without departing from the scope of the'present invention' asset forthv in the following specification, and as-deiined inthe fol: lowing claims; hence I: do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and' combinations of the said device andi parts-as described inthe said specicatiomnor do I' confine myself-tothe exact details of the construction ofV thessaid parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing and other objects in` view, which willk be made manifest in the following detailed description,. reference isr had tothe ac' companying. drawingsforthe illustrative embodi= ment o the invention,. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of arat guard con: structed in accordance witlif my invention in'place upon a hawser.

Fig. 2 is a fac'eview of'the'rat guard in the open position.

Fig. 3 is av sectional View'4 of therat guard the section beingitaken-on the lines 3'3of Fig. 2f.

Fig. 4 is a'fragmental'faceview of the rat guard inclosed position clamped over a' double hawser.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentalview of the outer pe# riphery of the rat guard showing. the securing handle partly inV section'.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the ra't guardy the section being taken on the lines 66r ofI Fig; 4.

In carrying out my invention!l make'use of a circular discy or plate; I. A: substantially radial slot 2 extends from the periphery of the plate I substantially to itsA center and is offset at the inner end thereof to form a socket 3 with a semicircular closing edge 4L generally tting over the usual hawser I3.V The offset corners-'I of the slot 2 are curved also substantially atthe same radius as that of the closing edge 4. v

On a portionof"one-face*offtheplate I is superimposed a sector plate 8 substantially corresponding to about one-half of the area of the Yfirst plate I and having an outer periphery concentric with the outer periphery of the plate I. The `two plates are pivoted together on a pivot 9F central to the rst plate I. TheY socket 3-for the hawser is offset to one side of the pivot S or of the center of the plate I, oppositelyfrom'thesector plate 8.

The outer edge of the sectorplate 8 is bent; over upon itself." to form anarcu'atechannel IIiwhich slidably ts over the outer edge of the circular plate I. This channel II extends from the trail- 5 Ciaims.. (01.! 114-221) sin 2. ing edge I2 of the sector plate 8 tov apoint I3 spaced from the leadingfedge I4 of lsaid sector plate. The leading edge of the sector plateis substantially parallel withY the ad-jacentvedgenof the slot 2 from theouter periphery to aboutY the offset corner 1 of the slot 2 at which point the leading edge Itis curved into'a socket I6 complemental to the closed edge 4 of the rst socket for effectively surrounding andY clamping the hawser 6 therebetween. It is to be also noted that the edges I2 and I4" ofthe sector plate are flanged outwardly away fromthe first plate I. The edge of thev socket 3 of the plate I' is also flanged outwardly at theportionthereof near the pivot 9. v y Y -v On the endI ofthe-pivot 9 farthest from the sector plate is pivoted the inner end of afbarjmI'l which isI curved near thepivot-at the same radius and substantially parallely with the complemental socket It of the leading= edgew|4 of the sector plate 8- and which bar Il then'- extends parallel Withthe leading edge I4 of the sector plate `8I to the outer periphery of the sector plate kand beyond the'unflangeud portion of this periphery outside'of thefend'k I32of the channel II.l On the outer end of thisvbar I- is-provided' ahandle- I8 secured to the'sector plate 8..- On this handle I8 is pivoted aA handle clampv 24|y at its end nearest tothe periphery of the-platel,A on a` pivot 22fas shown in Fig. 5. A spring 23 bent intofsubstanftially a Ueshape, has oneleg securedinagdetent Ztlv on-the handle clampv 25| so that itsjother end 2t bears against the handle I8 and normally urges `the handle clamp '2'I- around its pivot*l 22 towards the outer periphery of-v the plate I.- The inner edge 21- of the handle-clamp 2I` is slanted toward the outer peripheryofl the plate I so;V as to Lbe held in a strongl frictional engagement therewith by thei spring 23. Byv pressing upon the handle I8 and the handle clamp 2t thespring 23-is compressed and thejhandle clamp-2Iisrev leased from the periphery ofthejplate I and allows/the shiftingl of the sector platealongithe face of the plate IA soY asIto'be-movedfoverj the slot 2 into hawser clamping position as shownfin Figs. 1 and 4-,10r back into the open'l positicmV as shown inFigfZ.- Upon the release of thel handle I8` and off the handle clamp-2vl,.theinner edge 21 is engaged withV the edge ofthe plate Iu andfric'-` tionally-holds the sector plate 8in the adjusted position; Y

On the face of the plate I adjacent thebarljl is provided-aridge 28 which protrudes toward the bar |11- This ridge 28 extends substantially parallel-with'` the edgeofi the slot2lfarthest from the leadingY edge I4 offthe' sector plate` 8 in the'open. position; and extends' substantially parallel-with theoffset socket Sland'around tothepivt 9. As soon as the bar I 'I passes over the outer end of the slot 2 it engages the outer portion of the ridge 28 thereby accomplishing a tight engagement between the bar I'I, the plate I and the sector plate 8. The clamping handle on the outer end of the bar I'I, in effect,.straddles the outer edge of the plate I so that by gripping the same the bar I1 and the sector plate 8 are manipulated together to closing or opening positions. i

The pivot 9 is tubular and through the hole 2 thereof extends a line 3l, with a knot 32 at its outer end, the other end of which line 3l in turn can be held either on an object ashore or on the hawser 6 so as to prevent the dropping of the rat guard into the water when it is released from the hawser 6. Due to the unbalanced arrangement of the channel I as well as the bar I4 with respect to the slot 2, when the rat guard of my construction is` dropped into position on the hawser 6 it asysumes a position with the slot 2 pointing downwardly by reason of the location of the center of gravity of the unit downward from the center 9. The offset socket 3 by its eccentric arrangement permits a rmer clamping and encircling of the hawser and adapts the rat guard to be used with efficiency eitl 1 er on a single hawser as shown in Fig. 1 or on a two line hawser shown in Fig. 4, or any multiple hawser. The unit can be made of light sheet material yet be a rm and positive rat guard; it can be handled easily both for clamping and releasing; it does not require any adjustments or fastening means in position, and it is eminently adapted for its purposes.

I claim:

1. In a rat guard of the character described a substantially circular plate having a radial slot extended from its outer periphery toward the center, said slot having at its inner end an offset extension to one side and beyond the center of said plate to form an eccentric socket, a sector plate superimposed on yone side of said plate being concentric with said rst plate and being pivotally secured to the center of said first plate and being adapted to hold a hawser in said socket, an element along the other face of said rst plate being pivoted on said center, and a releasable clamping handle connecting said sector plate and said element for manipulating the shifting of said sector plate and said element over said slot for engaging a hawser in said socket.

2. In a rat guard of the character described a substantially circular plate having a radial slot extended from its outer periphery toward the center, said slot having its inner end formed into a socket, a sector plate superimposed on one side of said plate being concentric with said iirst plate and being adapted to hold a hawser in said socket, an element along the other face of said first plate being pivoted'on said center and movable with said sector plate, a releasable clamping handle on said sector plate for manipulating the shifting of said sector plate and element over said slot for engaging a hawser in said socket, and a ridge on the rst plate around said socket protruding toward said element and being on the side of said slot farthest from said element in the open position of Asaid sector plate for tightly pressing against said element and drawing said sector plate against the other side of said rst plate.

3. In a rat guard of the character described a substantially circular plate having a radial slot extended from its outer periphery toward the center, said slot having at its inner end an offset extension to one side and beyond the center of said plate to form an eccentric socket. a sector plate superimposed on one side of said plate being concentric with said first plate and being pivotally secured to the center of said ilrst plate and being adapted to hold a hawser in said socket, an element along the other face of said rst plate being pivoted on said center, and a releasable clamping handle connecting said sector plate and said element for manipulating the shifting of said sector plate and said element over said sl for engaging a hawser in said socket, a ridge o the rst plate substantially parallel with an edg of the slot and around said socket protruding to ward said element and being on the side of said slot farthest from said element in the open position of said sector plate for tightly pressing against said element and drawing said sector plate against the other side of said rst plate, said guide engagement being an interlocking peripheral channel coacting with said ridge for tightening said plates together.

4. In a rat guard of the character described a substantially circular plate having a radial slot extended from its outer periphery toward the center, said slot having at its irmer end an offset extension to one side and beyond the center of said plate to form an eccentric socket, a sector plate superimposed on one side of said plate being concentric with said first plate and being pivotally secured to the center of said rst plate and being adapted to hold a hawser in said socket, an element along the other side of said iirst plate being pivoted on said center and being movable with said sector plate, a releasable clamping handle on said sector plate for manipulating the shifting of said sector plate over said slot for engaging a hawser in said socket, the edge of said sector plate adjacent said slot being curved near said pivot to complement said socket when opposite the same, said element being curved near the pivot parallel with said curved edge for complementing said socket.

5. In a rat guard of the character described a substantially circular plate having a radial slot extended from its outer periphery toward the center, said slot having at its inner end an oiset extension to one side and beyond the center of said plate to form an eccentric socket, a sector plate superimposed on one side of said plate being concentric with said first plate and being pivotally secured to the center of said i'lrst plate and being adapted to hold a hawser in said socket, a tubular pivot for pivoting said plates together through the center of the iirst plate, a holding line extended through said tubular pivot. and means on one side of said pivot to hold said line therein.

EAN LEE BUSH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,160,634 Maynard Nov. 16, 1915 1,376,202 Hart Apr. 26, 1921 1,401,540 Konig Dec. 27, 1921 1,486,417 Cheely Mar. 1l, 1924 1,641,345 Mead Sept. 6, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,304 Great Britain Oct. 10, 1911 

